You can't unsee it.
Outside of the Apple Store at Mayfair Mall stood a medium-height person wearing black pants and a black short-sleeved shirt. The person stood at the entrance of the stoor with their arms crossed. People queued up to be interrogated by this person who asked - "why are you here?" If they answered the question correctly, "because I have an appointment," the person would extend their index finger and point them to a customer service representative. I felt better about the side harm holstered on their belt when I read the word, Security, which was printed in big friendly letters on the back of their shirt.
Faithful readers of the blog - like you - know that I observe lots of things. When you get into the habit of noticing what's around you, it's almost impossible not to ask - "what's it for?" or "who's it for?"
If a security guard is for protection, does protection come at the cost of the shopping experience? What if the security guard did not cross their arms? What if the guard welcomed every person who queued up with, "So happy you're here. What time is your appointment? 3:00 pm? Got it. Steven, over there waving to you, can help you now. Enjoy!"
Once you see what others stop noticing, you can't unsee it. Because once you notice it, you can make it better.